1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothbrush bristle disks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toothbrush bristle disk adapted for rotation by a rotary electric toothbrush. The bristle disk of the present invention includes a novel arrangement of bristles and tufts effective to clean the teeth and gums of a user when rotated by an electric toothbrush.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,336 to Copelan provides electric toothbrushes that rotate a bristle disk or brush about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bristles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,285 to Drossler assigned on its face to Braun Aktiengesellschaft provides electric toothbrushes that have been made to move the brush in an oscillatory motion.
However, there is a need for an improvement to the bristle disks used with such rotary electric toothbrushes. The present invention relates to such an improved bristle disk. Namely, the present invention provides a bristle disk adapted to simultaneously clean the gingival space between the teeth and gums, the surface of the teeth, and the interproximal space between the teeth by such electric toothbrushes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bristle disk.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bristle disk having three rows of tufts.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bristle disk having an outer row, a middle row and an inner row of tufts.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a bristle disk having an outer row of tufts adapted for cleaning the gingival space between the teeth and gums, a middle row of tufts adapted for cleaning the surface of the teeth, and an inner row of tufts adapted for cleaning the interproximal space between the teeth.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a bristle disk for an electric toothbrush having a bristle carrier and at least three groups of tufts extending from the bristle carrier with each of the tufts having one or more bristles. Some of the tufts being a first group of tufts disposed in an outer row. Others of the tufts being a second group of tufts disposed in a middle row. Still others of the tufts being a third group of tufts disposed in an inner row. The tufts of the outer row having a height and shape adapted for cleaning the gingival space between teeth and gums. The tufts of the middle row having a height and shape adapted for cleaning the surface of the teeth. The inner row having at least one tuft with a height and shape adapted for cleaning the interproximal space between the teeth.
Preferably, the first group of tufts are of the same height, the second group of tufts alternate between tufts with bristles of the same height and tufts with bristles of differing height wherein the tufts with bristles of differing height form an inward incline, and the third group of tufts are located about at a center point of the bristle carrier and have bristles with differing height that form a point.